Takashi Amano
July 18, 1954-August 4, 2015

weloveamano.com is dedicated to our many memories of a Legend who revolutionized the world of aquariums. He often mentioned “Learn from Nature - recreate Nature” , this was the mantra which led him to recreate the worlds finest aquariums for all of us to marvel.
Our thoughts were given a direction and looking at his art we were able to recreate our dreams in the form of beautiful aquascapes. Aquascapes that transform , speak and connect to the inner most parts organs in our body.
Fondly called Amano San had a big heart and his spirit which reverberated with Nature brought enthusiasm to almost everyone he met or connected with. His dynamism brought inspiration to many hobbyists around the world. His pictures created a new dimension to Nature rarely seen or observed.

Listen to Amano's Favorite Track

Amano San - Major Highlights

End

Amano San - Major Highlights

Born in Niigata (former Maki-machi), Japan, Takashi Amano established his own planted layout style named Nature Aquarium (NA) and started “Aqua Design Amano Co., Ltd. (ADA)” in 1982

Introduction

Amano Takashi, born in Niigata, Japan in 1954, is a Japanese landscape photographer. Since 1975, Amano has visited tropical rainforests in Amazon, Borneo and West Africa and pristine forests in Japan, and he has been working on series of photos focusing on "untouched nature" with his large-format cameras. He captures minute details of nature found at site on extra large size films (up to 8x20 inches). His works have been introduced internationally through the several exhibitions and publications. Amano is now taking on a challenge to record the existing precious nature of Japan on large-format films and pass down to posterity.
In recent years, Amano has given numbers of lectures on his photography expeditions and his experiences in nature around the world, and he has advocated the importance of tree-planting programs to protect the earth's environment.

“Forests Underwater by Takashi Amano”

It is a 40m in length containing 160t, a super-massive tank at unprecedented scale. The challenge is to create the world’s largest Nature Aquarium within one week. For the success of this unprecedented try, the scrupulous advance planning and preparation were critical. At the same time, of course it required the many staff involved to function as roles of individuals in the team under Amano’s leadership.

A dream comes true. It’s always easy to say but the bigger the dream is, the harder it is to achieve. However, Takashi Amano and his staff have delivered the huge dream. How was the Nature Aquarium created in the uniquely-shaped super-massive 40m tank? It was the attempt to create nature that human beings should be proud of.

The World’s Largest NA Project

The world’s largest Nature Aquarium created by Takashi Amano impressively appears as full scale waters in Nature right in front of visitors. Despite its size of 40m, the planting is so delicate in the massive tank. It consists of various kinds of aquatic plants as if it is in a tropical jungle. Amano states the concept of this aquascape as “Tropical Paradise” to demonstrate his passion for tropical forests. His challenge was to recreate the ecosystem in actual Nature. The tank is 40m in length with 160t of water inside, which contains 8,550L of Amazonia Soil, 20t of volcanic stones, 78 giant driftwood, 46 species of plants, and 10,000 tropical fish of 40 species. (As at April 22, 2015).

Tribute to the great master

Nature photographer Takashi Amano (1954-2015) travelled through the largest tropical forests in the world capturing the harmony of untouched landscapes. He became an international master of aquascaping with the creation of his own style of planted aquariums, the nature aquarium. His remarkable art recreates nature, mixing some techniques of Japanese gardening with the wabi sabi philosophy, an encounter between beauty, simplicity and imperfection. Amano believed that if we pay attention to nature, we can better understand our world and learn to preserve it.
The creation of the largest “nature aquarium” in the world, at Oceanário de Lisboa, was the summit of a lifetime of work

THE MOVIE OF AQUA DESIGN AMANO

The Movie of Aqua Design Amano introduces the concept of Nature Aquarium, product development policy, global aquarist's enthusiastic comments on Nature Aquarium and attractiveness of ADA products.
You can also enjoy "one day in ADA" featuring the working scenes and exclusive interview with Takashi Amano. This movie is a must-watch for all Nature Aquarium and weloveamano fans!

Nature Aquarium Pioneer

Takashi Amano wrote about freshwater aquascaping. He established a distinctive style of plant layout.He employed Japanese gardening concepts such as Wabi-sabi and Zen rock arrangement. His tank compositions sought to mimic nature in their appearance. Amano also made extensive use of Glossostigma elatinoides and Riccia fluitans as plant material, and used shrimp as a means of controlling the growth of algae.

Born in Niigata (former Maki-machi), Japan, Takashi Amano established his own planted layout style named Nature Aquarium (NA) and started “Aqua Design Amano Co., Ltd. (ADA)” in 1982. In 1992, his picture book, “Glass no Naka no Daishizen”, was published. Followed by the picture book, “Nature Aquarium World”, his books are translated into 7 languages, which opened up NA to the enthusiasts all around the world. As well as building a career as an entrepreneur, he has visited the three largest rainforests of Amazon, Borneo and West Africa, and virgin.

Starting in 1975, Takashi Amano visited tropical rainforests in Amazon, Borneo and West Africa and pristine forests in Japan, creating a series of photos focusing on "untouched nature" with large-format cameras. He captured minute details of nature on extra large size films (up to 8×20 inches). His works have been introduced internationally through several exhibitions and publications.

Amano gave lectures on his photographic expeditions and his experiences in nature around the world, and he advocated for the environmental importance of tree-planting programs. He was a member of the Japan Professional Photographers Society, the Japan Advertising Photographers' Association, the International Environment Photographers Association, and the Society of Scientific Photography.

Amano San - Major Highlights

Born in Niigata (former Maki-machi), Japan, Takashi Amano established his own planted layout style named Nature Aquarium (NA) and started “Aqua Design Amano Co., Ltd. (ADA)” in 1982

End

Some of the Messages we have received
from Aquarist's across the Globe

R.I.P. Amano San ありがと 先生

Giuseppe Nisi

Italy

Our mother earth loses a son, we lose a master.... Made a soft and peacefull voyage Sir... EP Curator assistant.

Emmanuel Pourol

France

The master has gone. Tribute to him for contributing to mankind with his original insight and intuition that is and will be an inspiration for current and future generations of aquarists. Thank you Takashi for what you have given to me. May you rest in peace.